Abstract
D.Ed.
In the literature survey of this study, the historic development of education in the RSA, from the arrival of the Dutch settlers in 1652, to the implementation of the state-aided school was discussed. Parental involvement throughout these years, was reviewed. The emphasis however, was a discussion on the state-aided school model since it became part of the South African education system in 1992; especially with regard to the additional functions and duties of parents in governing bodies. Although this school model had initially been called the Model C school, the name changed to the state-aided school and only recently to a type of public school. Organization and management of these schools nevertheless stayed basically the same.
Part of the theoretical discussion were the numerous reasons for the implementation of this school model; amongst the most important being the fact that the state had reached its limit as far as the funding of education was concerned and that further financial input had to become the responsibility of parents and the community. The state-aided school was also the result of educational and political change in South Africa. White parents and teachers were concerned about their cultural and religious principles and saw in state-aided schools the possibility of satisfying these needs and values. Black, Coloured and Indian Education, as well as the rationalization and amalgamation of all education departments in the RSA into one Department of Education, also had an impact on the development of the state-aided school.
The focus of this study however, was on the effective functioning of the governing bodies, consisting mainly of parents, in the state-aided schools. The crux of the problem, was greater parental involvement and whether these parents were able to manage the schools under their care properly. One of the concerns was that as teachers strive towards professional autonomy, parents would encroach upon their professional terrain. On the other hand though, some parents are not sufficiently encouraged or motivated to participate in school affairs.